He first started writing professionally for The Ridgefield Press, his hometown newspaper at the time, at age 14, covering high school sports.
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1996, he interned at The Washington Post, and was eventually hired full-time by the paper, which assigned him to their bureau in Manassas, Virginia.
In 2007, "Crossroads", his four-part series on the 1967 Newark riots, won the New Jersey Press Association's top prize for enterprise reporting.
[4] In 2004, Parks began writing fiction in the cafe at a Barnes & Noble as a way to kill time while his wife was studying for her graduate degree.
Library Journal gave it a starred review, calling it "the most hilariously funny and deadly serious mystery debut since Janet Evanovich's One for the Money.
"[12] The Wall Street Journal described protagonist Ross as "engaging" and said the book was "a capable follow-up to this author's award-winning debut.
[18] Shelf Awareness gave it a starred review, calling it "perfect for the reader who loves an LOL moment but wants a mystery that's more than empty calories.
[20] Parks' fourth book, The Good Cop, deals with the subject of illegal gun smuggling and starts with the suicide of a Newark, New Jersey police officer.
[26] The fifth book in the Carter Ross series, The Player, delves into the topics of toxic waste and organized crime.
Kirkus Reviews called it, “More deeply felt than Carter’s first five cases: reliable entertainment that’ll make you think twice about your next trip to Newark.” [30] The novel was nominated for a Library of Virginia People's Choice Award in 2016.
It received endorsements from Lee Child, Sue Grafton, Jeffery Deaver, Joseph Finder, Chris Pavone, and William Landay, in addition to starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal.
"[33] The Richmond Times-Dispatch called it "the work of an author who continues to raise his sights and refine his immense talent.